KAMIAH -- School teachers and administrators in Kamiah are considering accepting a wage freeze to help the district deal with the loss of a $209,000 supplemental override levy last month.
The wage freeze was one of several options discussed Monday night at a special school board meeting attended by about 25 people.
Other suggestions include cutting 2 1/2 teaching positions, combining other staff jobs and pulling back on school activity expenses.
"These are just brainstorming ideas," said Superintendent Doug Flaming, who has spent his first week on the job trying to figure out a way to make the budget work.
The school board "knows the economy is tough in this town, but they also know what they might set themselves up for in the future."
The school board is expected to make a final decision about whether to reintroduce the levy at the same or a reduced amount during its regularly scheduled meeting next Monday. If the board does go for the proposal a second time, the likely election date would be Aug. 5.
Kamiah patrons rejected the levy proposal last month by 65 percent. Flaming said three staff and community meetings since June 30 have revealed that the main reasons people turned down the proposal are because they did not want the board to give teachers incremental pay raises this year and because the rationale for the levy was not publicized well enough.
But Adam Izbicki of Kamiah said the percentage of the defeat should send a clear message about what voters really want.
"That was an overwhelming no vote and this community is just not going to do that again," Izbicki said. "What is it about 'No' that you guys don't understand?"
Board Chairman Frank McIntire said even if the teachers do accept a wage freeze, that would only account for about $150,000, which is still not enough to make up the difference in the coming year's revenues and expenditures.
"We may have to cut teaching positions, sports, drama, art. ... We have to look at everything," McIntire said. "We have to find that money somewhere."
The district expects total revenue for the 2003-2004 school year to be about $3.3 million, while total expenditures are estimated to be about $3.5 million.
The biggest reasons for the dip in revenue for the district include the loss of property value of $22,546, a drop in state support based on student average daily attendance of $60,000, a cut in classroom supply reimbursement from the state of $5,500 and a holdback in the state's endowment fund of $45,000.
Expenditure increases include a 6 percent hike in insurance costs and salary costs.
The positions the board is considering cutting include an English class, a biology and shop position and a part-time counselor for kindergarten through eighth grade.
Teacher Warren Tourangeau questioned why the board plans to cut required classes, but is not looking at "the sacred cow" of sports.
McIntire explained that activities might well be on the chopping block if the district decides it cannot pass a second levy.
Flaming said the shop class will be discontinued, but the other work will be redistributed among staff members.
"But it would be real hard to get your education and counseling needs met if you do that," he said. "That's just my own personal bias."
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Hedberg may be contacted at khedberg@lmtribune.com
